Syria Agrees to Undof Extension Late News Bulletin

Informed sources said today that Syria has agreed to a six-month extension of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and informed Secretary General Kurt Waldheim to this effect. The UNDOF mandate expires May 31. The Security Council will reportedly meet here next week, either on May 27 or 28, to vote on the UNDOF mandate, Israel is on record as favoring a six-month UNDOF extension.

Based on previous voting procedures on the UN forces, the Security Council is expected to adopt a resolution extending the UNDOF mandate with a vote of 13 in favor, and two member states, China and Iraq, not participating in the vote, observers here noted. Previous reports stated that Syria was ready to extend the UNDOF mandate for only two months. In that case the UNEF mandate in the Sinai and UNDOF mandate in the Golan Heights would have expired simultaneously.